Transient responses of hybridoma cells in continuous culture to step changes in amino acid and vitamin concentrations

The effects of step-change increase in the concentrations of amino acids and vitamins on the metabolism, growth, and antibody productivity of a murine hybridoma cell line grown in continuous culture on serum-free medium are presented. Additions of the amino acids cysteine with methionine, tryptophan, and isoleucine with valine and vitamin B(12) (as cyanocobalamin) resulted in significant increases in viable cell concentrations. Additions of aspartate with asparagine, and threonine with vitamin B(1) (as thiamine hydrochloride) resulted in significant increases in final antibody concentrations. Substantial decrease in the fraction of amino acid nitrogen excreted as ammonia occurred upon supplementation with three times the normal concentrations of branched chain amino acids. Decreases in the fraction of amino acid nitrogen converted to ammonia were paralleled by increases in the fraction converted to alanine.